The EU plans to ban PFAS chemicals with a new PFAS restriction proposal published a couple weeks ago. A new online tool, launched by NGO ChemSec, could help solve the problem.

ChemSec launched the PFAS Guide, which offers companies a way to investigate if PFAS chemicals are within their businesses. The goal is to alert you to products likely to contain these chemicals and give your company advice on how to phase them out.

The main feature of the Guide is the searchable database uncovering different PFAS uses and functions. The tool also provides guidance on the phase-out process from regulation and investigation all the way to testing and supply chain communication.

“We’ve been working to support companies in chemical substitution for a long time, and the last few years we’ve gathered a group of companies working specifically on the PFAS issue. The discussions with them made it clear to us that a main challenge is understanding if and where in your business you may have PFAS,” said Dr. Anna Lennquist, project leader for the PFAS Guide.

Also called "forever chemicals," PFAS is the collective name for more than 5,000 toxic chemicals used in many consumer products. PFAS have been manufactured and used in products such as make-up, non-stick pans, water- and greaseproof textiles, food-packaging materials, and firefighting foam since the 1950s and are still used in a wide variety of products around the world.

The chemicals are of concern due to their problematic properties. Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that accumulate in the environment and cause health impacts are linked to cancer, lung disease, diabetes, reproductive abnormalities, and learning difficulties. PFAS do not degrade, and these forever chemicals are now so widespread that it is likely every single human being on the planet have detectable levels of these toxic chemicals in their blood.

A couple of weeks ago, a big proposal to restrict PFAS in the EU was published. The five EU Member States behind the proposal submitted a broad restriction proposal that clearly shows the need for the industry to put all resources into phasing out all PFAS substances.

More than a hundred companies have come out to support a ban on PFAS. How to phase out PFAS is something all companies — large and small — will need to analyse sooner rather than later.

“The PFAS Guide is a very useful tool. The step-by-step guide makes it easy to identify potential uses of PFAS in products and gives guidance on how to phase it out as well. It’s a great help for companies looking to ensure that their products are PFAS-free,” said Louisa Raith Sørensen, strategic project leader at Coop, a leading Denmark consumer goods retailer.